Fracture of fiber-reinforced materials

The fracture behaviour of fiber-reinforced materials is studied in this paper. Using a simple shear lag model, which includes friction at the debonded interface and the Poisson contraction of the fiber, the fiber-matrix debonding problem is solved. This gives the relationship between debonding load and debonded length. Interfacial friction is shown to have a significant effect on the debonding load. The fracture toughness of fiber-reinforced materials due to fiber debonding, frictional dissipation at fibre-matrix interface following debonding and other micro-fracture mechanisms is discussed with reference to strong and weak fibres. Finally, the strength and toughness of short fibre-reinforced materials are given.On leave from Harbin Shipbuilding Engineering Institute, Harbin, China